Liquid-dispensing stopper



`Fab.ll,l930. L.HDUNLAP LIQUID DISPENS ING STOPPER Filed April 20, 1927 n Il t Patented Feb. 1 1, A1 930 PATENT OFFICE LEO H. DUNLAP, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA LIQUID-DISPEN SIN G STOPPER Application filed April 20,

My invention is a liquid dispensing stopper adapted to allow a substantially predetermined amount of liquid or the like to be dispensed from a bottle or other container by inverting the bottle or container and operating the stopper.

An object of my invention is the construction of a liquid dispensing stopper which' when inserted in a bottle or the like and the bottle inverted a substantially predetermined amount of liquid may be dispensed by manipulation of the stopper, as by pressing a plunger connected to a sliding valve.

Another obj ect of my invention is the construction of a dispensing stopper which may be either inserted in the bottle neck in a manner similar to a cork or may be screwed on the outside of the screw threaded bottle neck. My stopper is constructed with a tubular sleeve which is adapted to fit in a bottle neck, and may have a resilient packing on the outside to engage internally in the neck, or it may have a screw threaded ilange to thread on the outside of the bottle neck. The sleeve 2 is preferably formed with a small and a large bore, the small bore being adjacent the top or outside part of the stopper and the large bore on the inside part, forming a shoulder against which a cylindrical valve may seat. This valve is mounted on a stem or plunger, the stem extending through a guiding spider at the inner part and having a projection with a knob extending outwardly beyond the stopper. The sleeve is provided with an internal annular recess or pocket, the valve operating when pressed inwardly past such recess and thereby cutting oil' a certain amount of fluid lling the recess, which is discharged when the valve is in its inward position, the valve vnormally being held seated by means of a spring.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a bottle, inverted with my stopper fitted therein in the manner of a cork.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the stopper.

Figure 3 is a view of the bottom of the 1927. Serial No. 185,174.

stopper taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows, showing the top portion of the stopper.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of part of a bottle with another form of my stopper connected thereto.

Figure 6 is a vertical section through the stopper and part of a bottle neck.

Figure 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5, showing the bottom of the stopper.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrows, showing 65 the top of the stopper.

In the (onstruction shown in Figs. 1 through 4 the body portion of the stopper is indicated as a tubular sleeve 1 having a small bore 2 at the top end of the stopper and a 70 larger bore 3 at the lower part forming an annular shoulder 4, this being the valve seat.

A spider 5 is secured to the lower end of the stopper and has a guide opening 6 and a series of apertures 7. The sleeve has a lateral annular projection 8 at the top and a resilient packing 9, formed of rubber or the like, on the outside, the rubber to engage in `a bottle neck 10.

The valve construction is substantially as follows:

A cylindrical valve 11 fits in the larger bore and is spring pressed by the spring 12 coiled between the valve and the spinder 5. Extending outwardly from the valve is a stem 13 hav- 85 ing a knob 14 and in the opposite direction there is an inner stem l5 operating through the opening 6 of the spider. An annular groove or recess 16 is formed in the bod structure of the sleeve and the valve slides past this inwardly in the manipulation of such valve. It will be noted that the structure of the sleeve has a central enlargement 17 on the outside which causes a grip of the resilient packing 9, this packing also being held between the lateral extension 8 and the rim 18 of the spider. n

In the construction of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the internal parts of the valve are substantially the same as above described. In this case,

however, it is not necessary to have any external enlargement 17 on the sleeve structure nor to have the spider provided with a rim 18, but connected to the outer end of the sleeve there is an annular extension 20 and connected to this is a screw threaded sleeve 21, this sleeve screwing on the screw threaded end 22 of the bottle neck. If desired, there may be a packing ring 23 fitted between the flange 21 and the body structure of' the sleeve to form a tight seal against the end of the bottle.

The manner of operation and functioning of my dispensing stopper is substantially as follows:

It is immaterial in this stopper whether it is inserted in a bottle or other container in the manner of a cork as shown in Fig. 1 or whether it is attached by screw threads externally on the bottle neck as shown in Fig. 5. VVhen the bottle is inverted the liquid fills the large bore down to the valve and also the annular recess or groove 16 but is prevented from leaking or escaping by the valve seating on the shoulder or seat 4. When the knob 14 is pressed upwardly relative to the bottle, the valve is pressed inwardly until it passes above the recess 16. As the valve has a close fit in the large bore, the liquid is prevented from escaping except so much as fills the groove or recess 16, thus a substantially predetermined amount of liquid is dispensed every time the knob 14 is .pressed inwardly when the bottle is inverted and after the liquid flows out of the groove or recess 16 this is filled with air so thatwhen the spring pushes the valve to its seat again an equivalent amount of air is al` lowed to fiowinto the bottle, equal to the liquid which has been withdrawn.

From the above construction it will be seen that my dispensing stopper is of a simple construction and whereas I have illustrated this as in two ap lications it is to be understood that it may e applied to liquid polish cans or the like and to very many other uses in which a predetermined amount of liquid may be dispensed in each operation.

A characteristic feature of my stopper is that the sleeve has a cylindrical bore with the enlarged recess 16 positioned between the ends of this bore and the seal is made by the cylindrical valve 14 engaging the cylindrical parts of the bore. This distinguishes from measuring Stoppers which have a slidable valve engaging on conical or similar types of valve seats.

Various changes may be made in the principles of my. invention without departing from the spirit thereof, as set forth in the description, drawings and claims.

I claim:

1. A stopper comprising in combination a sleeve having a small bore at its outer portion and a larger bore at its inner portion, there being an annular seat or shoulder between the two bores, a valve slidable in the larger bore adapted to bear against the seat to prevent outward iiow of liquid from a bottle when inverted, the sleeve having a recess to receive liquid, the valve being slidable inwardly in the large bore from one side of the recess to the other, and preventing flow of liquid past the valve when on the inner side of the recess and allowing dispensing of the liquid in the recess.

2. A stopper comprising in combination a sleeve having a smallbore adjacent its outer part and a larger bore on its inner part, there being an annular seat or shoulder formed by the two bores, a valve having a stem slidable in the large bore, a spider on the inner part of the sleeve having a guide opening, the stem sliding through said guide opening, a spring under compression between the spider and the valve normally holding same seated, the sleeve having an annular recess inside of the valve to receive liquid, the valve having suiiicient motion to slide from one side of the recess to the other to allow dispensing of the liquid therein when a container holding the stopper is inverted.

3. A stopper comprising in combination a sleeve having a small bore at its outer part and a larger bore at the inner part, there being an annular shoulder or seat formed by the two bores, a spider secured to the inner part of the sleeve having a guide opening, a valve slidable in the larger bore and having an outer and an inner stem, each stem sliding through the guide opening, a compression spring between the spider and the valve around the inner stem, the sleeve having an annular recess inside the valve when the valve is seated, the valve having suilicient sliding motion to pass from one side of the recess to the other and allow dispensing of liquid in the recess on inward pressing of the outer stem when a container having the stopper is inverted.

4. A stopper comprising in combination a sleeve having a cylindrical small and large bore, the small bore being adjacent the outer part, there being an annular shoulder or seat formed by the two bores, the sleeve having a lateral annular projection at the outer part, a spider secured to the inner part of the sleeve and having a guide opening and a projecting rim, resilient material on the outside of the sleeve between the annular projection and the rim to fit inside a bottle neck, a valve slidably mounted in the large bore and having means to force same against the seat, there being a recess in the sleeve on the inner side of the valve, the valve having suiiicient motion to shift from one side of the recess to the other and allow dispensing of the liquid in the recess on inverting of a container having the stopper therein.

5. A stopper having a sleeve with a screw threaded flange connected thereto and spaced from the sleeve to allow screwing the sleeve said valve being thicker than the opening of into a bottle neck, the valve slidabl)7 mounted said pocket mto the bore.

in t-he sleeve having a seat to prevent outward In testimony whereof I have signed my flow of liquid from an inverted bottle, there name to th1s specification.

being a recess in the sleeve inwardly of the LEO H. DUNLAP.

valve seat in its normal position, the valve shifting from one side to the other of the recess to allow dispensing of the liquid therein when a container having the stopper thereon is inverted.

6. A stopper comprising in combination a sleeve having a cylindrical small and large bore with an annular shoulder or seat formed by said bores, the sleeve having a screw threaded flange connected to and spaced from the bore of the sleeve to allow insertion of the sleeve in a bottle neck, with the flange screwed on the outside of said neck, a valve slidable in the large bore, means to seatl said valve against the shoulder, the sleeve having an annular recess inwardly of the valve, and means to press the valve from one side to the other of the recess to allow dispensing of the liquid therein on inversion of a container having the stopper attached.

7. A stopper comprising in combination a sleeve, means to secure said sleeve in a bottle neck, a structure in said sleeve having a cylindrical bore with an annular recess extending outwardly therefrom between the ends of said bore, a stem slidable in the bore and having a cylindrical valve, said valve forming a seal on opposite sides of said recess to allow discharge of a limited amount of fluid, and means exterior of the sleeve to allow operating of said stem.

8. A stopper, as claimed in c laim 7, a spider secured to the inner portion of said sleeve and forming a guide for the inner end of the stem, a compress-ion spring positioned between the spider and thevvalve normally pressing the valve outwardly, and means to restrict the outward movement of said valve.

9. A dispensing stopper comprising a tubular casing, a plunger slidable therein and having a valve fitting the bore of the sleeve normally to prevent leakage therepast, there being a pocket of predetermined capacity opening into said bore and past which the valve is movable, means normally retaining said valve between said pocket and the outer end of the stopper, and means for moving the valve to the opposite side of the pocket.

10. A dispensing stopper comprising a tubular casing, a plunger slidable therein and having a valve fitting the bore of the sleeve normally to prevent leakage therepast, there being a pocket of predetermined capacity opening into said bore and past which the valve is movable, means normally retaining said valve between said pocket and the outer end of the stopper, and means for moving the valve to the opposite side of the pocket, 

